Straw-stacker



PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

No. 770,390v

J. G. RUNDALL. STRAW STAGKER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5', 1904.

N0 MODEL.

Patented September 20, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. RUNDALL, OF MARION TOWNSHIP, LINN COUNTY, IOWA.

STRAW-STACKE R SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,390, dated September 20, 1904.

Application filed April 5, 1904. Serial No. 201.774. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN G.RUNDALL, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing in Marion township, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Straw-Stackers, of which the following is a specification.

This-invention relates to straw-stackers of the endless-belt conveyer type; and the object of the invention is to provide means for facilitating the movement of the straw, especially when the stacker is set at a steep pitch or when the wind would otherwise dislodge it in its upward movement.

The nature of the invention will fully appear from the description and claims following, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section in the line a b, Fig. 2, of a device embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same in fragmentary form.

In the drawings, A represents the upper section of an ordinary straw-stacker supposed to be mounted at the rear of a grain-threshing machine. (Not shown.) This comprises a pair of side boards B, bottom C, and conveyer D of the usual construction and driven from the threshing-machine. These are of such familiar construction as to need no description.

In the use of stackers of this type there is, in case it is pretty steeply pitched, a tendency on the part of the straw to roll back on the conveyer-apron, and thereby soon clog the machine. There is also, even when the straw is being delivered properly over the upper end, as the stack grows in height a tendency to accumulate at this upper end, and so choke the conveyer at this point, and in any case if the wind be strong enough much of the straw is blown out of the stacker and scattered unless protection is secured by hanging up curtains or otherwise. It is the design of my invention to obviate these difliculties by means of a simple device, which will now be described.

Near the foot of the section of carrier is mounted a crank-shaft E in bearings F and driven by a suitable belt-wheel G and belt H, communicating suitably with the driving mechanism of the stacker. To the cranks of the crank-shaft are journaled push-bars I,

provided near the upper ends with stirrups J, resting on the cross-bar K and suitably guided laterally, as by guide-pins L. These bars are preferably notched on the under side, and by the rotation of the crank-shaft in the direction indicated they tend somewhat to aid in the forward movement of the straw.

Their principal function is, however, to keep the straw on the conveyer, so that on the one hand it may not fall back and roll up on itself nor on the other hand be. blown out by the wind. In practice it has been shown that a perfectly smooth bar serves these purposes very well; but bars notched in substantially the manner shown are preferable. These are not supposed to make contact with the apron, which performs its ownfunction in the usual way. It will be observed that the upper ends of the push-bars project somewhat beyond the stacker and by their reciprocating action serve to clear away the straw passing over, so that the clogging at this point above referred to is prevented.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a straw-stacker having a conveyer substantially as described, of reciprocating bars adapted to press the straw in contact with the conveyer and prevent its dislodginent therefrom.

2. The combination with a straw-stacker having aconveyer, substantially as described, of notched bars suspended and guided near the upper end of the stacker, and at their lower ends journaled to a crank-shaft, said bars being adapted to press the straw in contact with the conveyer and aid it in carrying the straw forward, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a straw-stacker having a conveyer, substantially as described, In testimony whereof I affix my signature in of notched bars suspended and guided near presence of two Witnesses. the upper end of the stacker, and projecting beyond the end thereof, and at their lower JOHN RUNDALL' 5 ends journaled to a crank-shaft, With means Witnesses:

for rotating said shaft, substantially as and J. M. ST. JOHN,

for the purpose set forth. F. J. KUBICEK. 

